Senior Issue 2026

table of contents

EDITOR’S NOTE

Just as the crayons in the classic story complained about being stuck in their respective silos, pleading for their user to think outside the cardboard box, we have watched our own peers break free from the expectations set for them. As we put together this final issue, we found ourselves reflecting on the various paths that we have all taken and the ones we will pave for the coming future.

For our last edition of Panorama, our senior staff took the reins. We felt there was no better way to commemorate our final moments of high school than by looking back at the very beginning. We’ve gone from read-aloud time in elementary school with our beloved “The Day the Crayons Quit” to now writing our own stories. If you’ve forgotten the tale, each crayon has a distinct personality and a specific grievance: Blue is exhausted from all of the coloring in of the endless oceans and Red is overworked from all the bright fire truck sketches.

In that trip down memory lane, we went beyond the bookshelf and even explored the creativity of our seniors throughout their time in the art program.

While some of us fit into our expected molds, as seen in our superlatives with overwhelming votes for “Most Likely to Be on Broadway” or the inevitable “Worst Senioritis,” this issue also explores the road less traveled. We highlight those heading to alternative destinations and those who have strayed far from the career paths they once dreamed of as children. As you turn the pages toward our long-awaited Senior Destinations map, you’ll see the Class of 2026 venturing off across the globe, each one of us taking on a different shade in the map.

Thank you for reading and supporting Ladue Publications. We hope you enjoy the Class of 2026’s final issue. Unlike the crayons who quit, we’re just growing up and finally moving out of the box.

Senior staff

Sarah kirksey ABIGAIL Eisenberg Advisers

SPONSORS

Issue

David Von Allmen

Nicholas Reding

Profusion Private Asset Fund

The Demkovitch Family

Ladue Blue

Allison and Terence Myckatyn

Bruce and JoAnne Vieweq

Donna Freeman and Mike Heyne

Ed Tanyag

Katie Myckatyn

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cobaugh

The Awad Family

The Chode Family

The Derdoy Family

The Devine Family

The Fong Family

The Kaul Family

The King Family

The Lock Family

The Nolan Family

The Pan Family

The Pisarkiewicz Family

The Stout Family

The Strauss Family

The Warwick Family

The Zwibelman Family

Theresa Tanyag

Wendy Tinnin

Gold

Anonymous

Arti Jain

Desta Gingrich

Jean Hayne

Kurtis and Katie Van Allen

Lillian Jansen

Mark Heyne and Rachel Abroms

Michael and Jamica Johnson

Mike and Elaine Stout

Ms. A Jansen

Ms. Elizabeth Welsh

Pam and Matt Cobaugh

The Cummings Family

The Jansen Family

The Liu Family

The Mathew Family

The Tenenbaum Family

The Witt Family

The Yeoh Family

The Zhao Family

The Zhou Family

”Uncle Blake” Baraks

Silver

Amy and Kevin Fischer

Anonymous

Bill and Cathy Scheffler

Bill and Sharon Hunn

Bremer Family

Gary and Shana Singer

Gillella Family

Hello Garage

John Gingrich

Juli and Bernie Plassmeyer

Kathy Bucholz

Laurie Family

Louise Flick and Bill True

Meera and Barry Bryant

Megan Gingrich

Mr. and Mrs. Brissette

MW Interiors

Myles Leonard

Pedro Beltranena

Sara Serati

Steve and Liz Van Allen

Tass Padavan

Taylor Stone

The Bowen Family

The Cormier Family

The Flores-Tamayo Family

The Gandra Family

The Gebrehiwet Family

The Guyton Family

The Haines Family

The Larrew Family

The Mayer Family

The Provine Family

The Scheffel Family

The Sheldon Family

The Solomon Family

The Turner Family

The Varvares Family

The Zotos Drobak Family

Friendly

Alena Tartouskaya

Amanda and Ryan Reagan

Amy Moglen

Anonymous

Anonymous Ladue Alumni

Berman Chiropractic and Wellness

Candice Bellinger

Clarissa Joyce

Edward Zhang

Ella Bender

HaugenHaus.com

Johnny Zhang

Julie Walther Scheibel

Lindsay Turner

Matthew Kweon

Mohamad Yaacob

Nancy Scheberle

Nithin Kumar Gattu

Olivia Cornelison

Salsbury Family

Shanthi Priya D

Sharon and Louis Hill

Sneha Vadlamudi

The Arora Family

The Choe Family

The Denman Family

The Ganni Family

The Gu Family

The Guthrie Family

The Hanes Family

The Hofer Family

The Lohse Family

The Mao Family

The Murphy Family

The O’Neal Family

The Pandian Family

The Poremba Family

The Reagan Family

The Rhodus Family

The Shi Family

The Silver Family

The Swillinger Family

The Taylor Family

The Wang Family

The Yang and Zhang Family

Tim Armstrong

Venkata Pulagam

Vivek Manohar

Walton Family

Will Kodner

Yan Sun

Zhenyi Liu

Zia Mahmood

SENIOR SUPERLATIVES

panorama surveyed 203 students april 21

life of the party eric hurt

cutest couple

marisa schreiner & william kirby

future

billionaire

sanjay adireddi

best dressed

vincent hsiao

best smile

colette brennan

future president

worst senioritis

most

Ted Waterson Science Teacher

Q: What was your funniest memory at Ladue?

A: When I first started teaching, I checked a book out from the library and used a note my daughter wrote as a little kid as a bookmark. Twenty years later, someone found it and gave it back to me.

Q: What are you most excited for?

A: I’m looking to go back to school to get a degree in pharmacy or engineering. I think of myself as a senior, too.

Q: What will you miss the most about Ladue?

A: The staff. I’ll miss eating lunch with my friends.

Bill Siefert Custodian

Q: What are you most excited for?

A: I’m excited about getting up when I want to and going fishing anytime I feel like it. I’m looking forward to being able to spend more time with my grandchildren. And I’m looking forward to sleeping in late.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say?

A: I’d like to say that I enjoyed my time here at Ladue, especially getting the opportunity to work with great people like Rick Dent and Chip Thomson, among others. I’ve made so many work friends that I hope to stay in touch with after I’m gone.

Leaving with us

BY FRANK CHEN opinions editor

Retiring staff reflect on their time at Ladue High School

Rick Dent Custodian

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: When we have a big event after months of planning, meetings and set ups and the event goes very well.

Q: What will you miss the most about Ladue?

A: All the wonderful people I interact with every day.

Q: What are you most excited for?

A: I have a long bucket list of things I want to do and places I want to see. I have six more states I need to visit before I’ve been to all 50.

Michael Aldrich Supervisory Assistant

Q: What was your funniest memory at Ladue?

A: A few years back, the seniors used skateboards and roller blades to get to class as their senior prank.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: The students. I love learning about them and hearing about their accomplishments and life goals.

Q: What are you most excited for?

A: I’m looking forward to spending time with my grandson. He has two years before he starts school. I want to spoil him and take him around St. Louis.

FINAL ADVICE

BY MARIE DEMKOVITCH staff

Molly Mannix

Science Teacher

Teachers share their last bits of advice for seniors

Nick Buckvar Micheal Farrell

English Teacher

Math Teacher

“ “

It’s always okay to ask for help when you need it. There’s always someone who would

““

keep your mind open to opportunities that present themselves to you and try to stay true to the things that are important to you.”

Jennifer Hartigan

You’ve got to learn to grow into who you are and who you want to be, not what others expect of you.”

Matthew Horn

English Teacher Social Studies Teacher

There’s this poem I really like called ‘To a Sad Daughter.’ One of the lines in the poem is ‘break going in, not out.’ You want to identify any problems, but once you commit to something, commit to it fully. So, break going in, not out.”

“Take the lessons you’ve learned here and apply them, but find something you’re passionate about. And second of all, you’re going to go through rough patches. Just keep persevering through that adversity in life.”

BY GRACE KWEON copy editor in chief

Alternative DESTINATIONS

Seniors describe their nonconventional plans after high school

Jack Scheffel

While his peers are attending four-year institutions straight after high school, Jack Scheffel (12) plans on taking his post-graduate year at Western Reserve Academy. He will be studying there as a boarding school student, and aims to improve

Marc Proskey

For most high school seniors, heading to a two-year college for a year before transferring into a four-year college to play Division II soccer isn’t the plan. For Marc Proskey (12), who is intending on going to Lewis & Clark Junior College in Godfrey, IL. next fall, that is the plan.

his physical attributes for a career in soccer and improve his GPA.

“Everyone has a different path,” Scheffel said. “But if you really feel like you really enjoyed high school, and you might need one more year to help develop yourself before college, postgraduate is a great place to grow and develop yourself, whether that be physically, socially [or] academically.”

A factor that played into taking this post-graduate year at the academy was the difficulty required to be recruited to the East Coast for soccer. He hopes his time there will help his chances.

“It’s a top-class academic school, and I was [choosing] between two post-grad schools, and both were elite schools,” Scheffel said. “And so playing where I’m going, Western Reserve Academy outside Hudson, Ohio, it’s gonna be

“Soccer in general is very difficult, because not only do you have to compete with kids in the United States, but you also have to compete with kids in Europe and South America, because soccer is an international sport,” Proskey said. “My thought process is: go to a good [junior college], play well there and then transfer to a D-I or II school and then continue my college career.”

Proskey has an extensive history of leading and achieving. Not only was he drafted as one of 30 top players selected to play in the Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game, he’s also captain of four soccer teams.

“I set an example,” Proskey said. “I’m there to work hard. And I’m ready on time. I feel like younger players look up to me, because all I’m trying to do is help everyone out.”

easier to get recruited to schools that are in that area.”

He contributes his decision to support from his dad, who did the same thing. Scheffel also gained experience playing with the team, but he doesn’t see playing soccer as his entire career.

“If I do something like physical therapy, it’s helping players while staying connected to the sport,” Scheffel said. “I feel like it’s something that I would enjoy doing every single day.”

Scheffel knows adjusting will be a struggle, but he places his hopes in the community around him and his experience moving cities when growing up.

“I think it’s just going to be a fun overall experience,” Scheffel said. “And I know the coaches are good people and also the players that I’ve met, so I’m excited for it.”

The goal is to transfer into schools like the University of Tampa for D-II soccer. Beyond this, he also wants to coach and start a demolition business.

“I’ve put in too much effort just not to do [soccer] next year,” Proskey said. “So I wanted to continue doing it, and potentially get into coaching later on, because I find coaching really fun.”

Despite negative stigmas of attending a junior college, Proskey finds there are crucial benefits to be found in which team a collegiate athlete joins.

“If you’re looking to play sports in college, find the team that suits you, but also is going to push you to be as good as you can be, and pushes you in the right direction of getting to a good school,” Proskey said. “Just be your best self and don’t take everything for granted.”

P

THE EXIT GALLERY

Seniors display their favorite artworks showcased in the Senior Art Show

FRAMES OF MIND Stories behind seniors’ art

”The

BY ELISA CORMIER staff ILLUSTRATION

BY FIONA VAN

ALLEN art editor in chief

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA VONALLMEN

staff

CURIOUS?

Scan for more student artwork here

”It’s about that numb feeling where you get sucked into your phone and can’t put it down.”

”My pieces were a way for me to explore a new medium of oil pastels.”

”The artificial light shows the beginning stages of reaching out to people.”

”’Simple Falls’ is a simplified waterfall with only four different colors.”

MISSOURI

JEFFERSON COLLEGE

Si’Niyah Walker

KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE

Nora Brunnquell

MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY

Ari Litt

Chase Murphy

Gweneth Stewart

Henry Olschansky

Jackson Pearlstone

MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Chip Calvert

Benny Kibombi

MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

Devin Freeman

MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

Jack Akers

Jayden Hayes

MISSOURI INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Disha Dahe

Laszlo Szilagyi

Xavier Stockmann

Audrey Raibley

MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE

Elijah Lardge

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

Brianna Kelley

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

Christopher Huang

Isabella Plumb

Lillian Plumb

Owen Stahr

Roopashree Maddela

Wongail Belete

Blake Lindstrom

Nevinka Amarakone

Nethmi Amarakone

Sabra Fink

Moriah Jackson-Brown

Susan Pinex

SAINT LOUIS

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Pricilla Gong

Shayonia Headd

Peter Lynch

Mohit Maringanti

Dorian Bunic

STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF MISSOURI

Reis Lourie

TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Grant Bullinger

Tennyson Summers

Madeline Summers

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ST. LOUIS

Essey Belay

Rain Williams

Madeleine Ta

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI

Claire Norris

RANKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Marcus Goebel

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA

Kate Lackey

Abigail Seigel

Alexandria O’Hara

Andrew Logan

Camille Garrick

Joelle Judaken

Liam Reeves

Lottie Rochester

Lucy Dempsey

Marisa Schreiner

Molly Shipley

Owen Prange

Parker Tonopolsky

Pearl Deng

Rhys Oldham

Seaton Thompson

Sophia Strayhorn

Sophie Miller

Vincent Hsiao

Jack Anderson

Brody Anderson

Gabriella Dixon

Abigail Biason

David Smith

Eden Dixon

Sullivan Taylor

James Smith

Ahren Rueckert

William Kirby

Clive Steinback

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY

Yacob Abiy

Abhiram Madala

Jenna Song

WASHINGTON

UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS

Jordan Oiknine

Jo Gyawali

Keira Palanca

Alex Du

Amelia Drake

Bryce Cooper

Charles Goldstein

Cindy Liu

Eric Mao

Eva Kaul

Hamza Bhutto

Ira Rodrigues

Maya Mathew

Sanjay Adireddi

Selina Yonas

Thomas Seidel

William Burrus

Urmil Patel

Mina Farrow Prater

Sahasra Mandalapu

ALABAMA

ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY

Olivia Blue

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Davi Pontes

Henry Goellner

Lydia Stoneman

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

Jamarr Hoskin

Senior

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Allison Glidewell

Evelyn Barcz

Marah Swillinger

Johnny Saksa

ARIZONA

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Mason Eastman

Mason Marden

Sricharan Sakshi

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Carter Reynolds

Finnegan Wootten

Destinations

most popular states

mo. ILL. ind.

89 19 13

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD

Aribella Stephens

FLORIdA

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Lauren Tussey

Tatum Curran

Henry Kittner

CALIFORNIA Arkansas

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Aiden Qian

Celina Zhou

Jason Shi

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

Sarah Mufaddal

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE

Chloe Lang

Emma Hsiao

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO

Adaeze Loynd

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Jeha Hwang

FRESNO STATE UNIVERSITY

Brendan Huddleston

CALIFORNIA

POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY

Aidan Pippine

COLORADO

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Kaitlin Jansen

Owen O’Neal

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER

Lila Meyers

Nylah Saffold

CONNECTICUT

YALE UNIVERSITY

Alex Wang

Angela Chen

Brayden Young

Audrey Rickard

John Caito

Eric Hurt

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Preston Jewell

UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA

Helena Haines

McKenzie Durbin

Morgan Cohen

GEORGIA

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Mia Gourtzelis

Bernard Plassmeyer

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Keegan Cody

Marie Demkovitch

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

Jamar Henderson

ILLiNOIS

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

Annabelle Reagan

Rylie Dolan

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY

Lauren Straughter

LEWIs AND CLARK JUNIOR COLLEGE

Marc Proskey

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY

CHICAGO

Henry Brenneman

Khamari Davis

Martin Tsygankov

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Kimmi Lin

Zane Ademuyiwa

Cooper Keys

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

Maddox Wolf

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Jacob Kaufman

Miles Settler

Kelly Bian

Enrollment by region Midwest: 109 Southeast: 24 northeast: 27 southwest: 10 west: 16 of students are going out of state

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE

Laila Murray

Indiana

BUTLER UNIVERSITY

Meagan Zimmerman

Tessa Olschansky

Alekzandros Tompras

DEPAUW UNIVERSITY

Carter Bieneman

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

DJ Levinson

Dylan Scissors

Jacob Winograd

Nicolette Brennan

Samuel Manlin

Alexander Choe

Nicolas Kaufman

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Ishaan Pandey

Kevin Diao

Miles Grossman

Pranay Reddy Anugu

Rishul Prasath

William Minkler

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Audrey Stockwell

Skye Madatali

Iowa

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

Joanna Harkonen

KANSAS

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

John Marbarger

Nana Kofi Nsaful

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Elizabeth Badmus

Scotlynn Jones

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

Mame Dieye

TULANE UNIVERSITY

Darci Levinson

Emily Rosen

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Robert Engelsmann

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Addyson Butler

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Queena Xu

SALISBURY UNIVERSITY

Noah Friess

MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS

BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

Norah Murphy

BOSTON COLLEGE

Sophia Anton

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Giada Cormier

Elisa Cormier

Ella Lin

KENTUCKY LOUISIANA

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Brianna Murray

Myles LeCorgne

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

Kayla Chan

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Anthony Zhao

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Aaron Lin

William Yin

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON

Trip Hoffman

Destinations

number of states represented:

35

Most popular schools

29 8 in state: out of state: University of Missouri Columbia University of WisconsinMadison

Michigan

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Annabelle Shepley

new JERSEY

Molly Deutsch

Robert Caito

Lilly Doughty

Cole Wallis

Harrison Margraf

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

ANN ARBOR

Gabriel Fields

MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Jack Hensley

minnesota

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

TWIN CITIES

Joshua Gu

CARLETON COLLEGE

Jack Sehy

MIssissippi

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

Alyssa Eye

Elizabeth Birchfield

Riley Small

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

Campbell Cross

new hampshire

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

Andrew Schulte

Luke Ye

UTAH

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

Mathew Anish

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Fiona Van Allen

OHIO

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Alia Al Husseini

Elle Kerner

Glen Widjaja

Maya Varadachari

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Rohit Laddu

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

James Hellmann

WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY

Jack Scheffel

PENNSylVANIA

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

Rex Zhu

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Michelle Jing

new york

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

David Zhang

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Nicholas Pearlstone

EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Hayden Baker

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Eva VonAllmen

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Jasmine Perkins

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Adam Klein

Sophia Hueser

UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY

Victoria Derdoy

NORTH CAROLINA

DAVIDSON COLLEGE

Adela Gingrich

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Clara Carpenter

Josh Devine

QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE

Luke Reiser

ELON UNIVERSITY

Risa Fingerman

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

Anastasia Amromina

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

Arden Poger

SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

Madison Stockwell

RHODE ISLAND

BROWN UNIVERSITY

Madeline Awad

SOUTH CAROLINA

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Gabrielle Verstappen

Riav Feit

TEXAS

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

George Bisig

Hobey Alton

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS

Aronno Dutta

Aalaa Mahmoud

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

Kamil Boudhane

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Julian Audi

TENNESSEE

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE

Brendan Balint

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

Jon Lewis

William Hinz

VERMONT

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

Thomas Douglass

WASHINGTON

GONZAGA UNIVERSITY

Brielle DeRuisseau

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Andrew Thomadsen

Noah Gindelberger

Washington, d.c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Ivana Todorova

WISCONSIN

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

Jin Zhang

Natalie Brunworth

Claudia Gettins

Frank Chen

Grant Rauner

Joan Gaffigan

Gavin Hofer

Sanvi Prasad

MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Benjamin Reiser

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN WHITEWATER

Joie Sandler

INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

Molly Salvatori

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Max Karsh

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY IN MADRID

Kira Cornell

OTHER/ GAP YEAR

Ava Lord

Quran Frazier-Holmes

Lakell Benford

Braden Walters

Jake McDonald

UNKNOWN

Addison Maher

Aleeyah Smith

Allison Moling

Alyssa Kuhstoss

Aniyah Shaw

Ari Armstrong

Azorhia Swann

Brandon Barrett

Brendyn Simily

Carlos Gallegos

Daria Kozlova

Deandre Harris

Dina Fajors

Donovan Miner

Elizabeth Gupta

Eric Berry

Floyd Davis

Gabriel Brown

George Fister

Grace Kweon

Han Thai

Helen Lopez

Hien Van Thai

Hussun Khan

Jadyn Jones

Jasmyn Spann

Jaswanth Chowdhary Pidikiti

Jayden Smith

Jieming Chen

John Judd

John Saleeby

Joshua Ray

Joshua Wesley

Juelz Bugg

Kayla Williams

Kin Yang

Kingston Dang

Lawrence Alomatsi

Lindsey Taylor

Marcos Moran Echevarria

Margaret White

Mason Lee

Nora Clear

Paris Nahrgang

Penelope Cross

Qianyi Kang

Reginald Jones

Ruslan King

Sabina Uminskaya

Sahana Arun

Siraya Fort

Taliyah King

Thierno Barry

Uyen Khanh Ho

Vincent Daus

Vincent Wooten

Vintrell Moss

Xavier Lopez Vergara

Zachary Strong

Han Tran

Kaliyah Watkins

Lyla Thompson

Maxwell Sigel

Ari Litt (12) and Dylan Scissors (12) provide a halftime update at the boys soccer game against Clayton High School Sept. 18. The boys won 1-0. “My biggest takeaway has been learning how to be on camera and getting comfortable in front of the camera,” Litt said.

It’s gametime

BY VICTORIA DERDOY health and sports editor

WBY VINCENT HSIAO photo editor in chief

hile teams meet together to talk strategy during halftime and parents and fans head over to the concession stand to grab a snack, the Ladue Sports Network staff set up their tripod and camera, grab their microphones and review the game statistics one more time before hitting record. Led by Dylan Scissors (12) and Ari Litt (12), the student-run Gametime broadcast delivers their halftime and postgame coverage for all Ladue sports.

Scissors and Litt have been taking Multimedia Sports for several years now and have been in the class through the many changes and the creation of LSN. In the spring of 2025, the Multimedia Sports elective went from solely creating hype videos and graphics for the scoreboard to becoming a consistent source for all Ladue sports coverage.

“There’s a lot of different Instagram profiles for all the different sports teams, but some of them only make graphics for the beginning of the games,” Scissors said. “We want to be that source that everybody goes to. So instead of going to the boys basketball

Dylan Scissors and Ari Litt leave a legacy in Ladue Sports Network

Instagram or the girls field hockey Instagram for scores, we have the data, we have what happened in the game and that was the main priority and goal of what LSN should be.”

In addition to halftime and postgame recaps, Scissors and Litt created their own show where they upload weekly episodes highlighting all the sports scores from the previous week. Kicking their show off with an AI-generated theme song inspired by Dude Perfect, the two have grown to be the faces of LSN.

“Ari and I walked into the Affton Ice Rink [for a hockey game], and we already had a big Ladue student section, and as soon as they saw us, immediately they started yelling and chanting, ‘LSN, LSN,’ and they were dapping us up and giving us high fives,” Scissors said.

The impact of LSN extends beyond the Ladue student body, as parents and families tune in to Gametime each week. LSN has made it their mission to bring attention to all sports, including those that are often underrepresented.

“Whenever we’ll be at games, a lot of the parents notice it,” Litt said. “They notice that not only the big sports are

covered, but their sons and daughters are also being recognized. I think, for the community, that has a big impact that the water polo team is recognized for a good win, or the lacrosse team is recognized for a good win and I think that parents especially notice when their children are recognized.”

Next year, Scissors will attend Indiana University to study sports media, while Litt will attend Maryville University studying sports business management. In their time on LSN, they have amassed over 1000 followers on Instagram and have helped shape this platform that allows Ladue athletes to feel seen and recognized. After they graduate, LSN will look to younger students to step into their roles, carrying on their legacy.

“The biggest gap that they’ll leave is their experience and their knowledge of how we do things and what the vision is all about,” Multimedia Sports teacher Ross Green said. “They’re never short on passion and caring for what they do. I know that we’ll be able to find more kids who are very passionate and very talented, but they’re definitely leaving a hole in terms of senior leaders.” P

Lila Meyers Soccer

“My favorite trip was Kansas City my Junior year. We played really well and bonded as a team.”

Brody Anderson Basketball

Sanjay Adireddi Tennis

“My friend and I were able to play doubles together this year. It was meaningful to see each other grow.”

Favorite Sports memories

Claudia Gettins Lacrosse

“My favorite memory was scoring a goal against Clayton. It was really special because I’m a defender.”

“I really had fun on the out of town basketball trips. The games were competitve and fun.”

Lauren Straughter Golf

“At practice, we played golf Olympics where we had different teams. My team lost but I had fun.”

AK Logan Track and Field

“Going to Kansas State and competing against good teams and having a lot of fun with the team.”

Jeha Hwang Soccer

“My favorite memory was winning state against Vianney two years ago and celebrating with my friends.”

Brielle DeRuisseau Water Polo

“Our coach’s dog came to our water polo practices sometimes and ran around the pool.”

last one standing

Seniors participate in annual ’Senior Assassin’ game after spring break

BY CINDY LIU news editor in chief

The annual “Senior Assassin” game began March 27, and what began as a 155 player game has lessened to just over 20. To enter, seniors had to pay a fee of $5, and purchase their own water gun and floatie. Over the course of a month, the prize pool has increased to $1,200. The winning players will receive a cut of the prize, as well as the player with the most amount of kills.

Jeha Hwang (12) took on the responsibility of running the game this year, which involved creating the game on ‘Splashin,’ an app specifically made for Senior Assassin, organizing payments and writing a rule list.

“The hardest thing about running the game is definitely just staying on top of things, whether it’s updating kills or posting all of the kills,” Hwang said. “It’s pretty difficult since you always have to constantly check the Splashin app and Instagram. Running it was definitely harder than I thought.”

After surviving three rounds, Luke Ye (12) is excited to be in the top 20 remaining players. Ye details his plans as being more calculated rather than ambitious and risky like other players, who each have unique strategies.

“My strategy is to only go for kills on purge days,” Ye said. “Why risk exposing who your target is if you’re not going to get a guaranteed opportunity to eliminate them? [I bought] multiple floaties and always kept one near me. It’s much easier to play defense than offense in this game.”

Instead of participating in the game, Jo Gyawali (12) decided to assume a different role of uploading the elimination videos on the Senior Assassin Instagram account. To accommodate for the large amount of content being sent, Gyawali works alongside Hwang to write captions, format the layout of posts and keep players updated.

“Usually people send a little caption with their video or I’ll watch the video and see exactly what happens,” Gyawali said. “Sometimes Jeha’s friends will tell him what happened personally and he’ll make the captions different. But there have been times I’ve had to change captions because people get more than one person out.”

Ye has obtained an elimination every round of the game. As the game nears the end, Ye, alongside other players, finds himself thinking about the game often throughout the course of the day.

“I have a real shot to win this thing if I try hard enough and get lucky if my targets don’t wear their floaties,” Ye

said. “I didn’t really expect to get this far, but we’re here now. I think about the game each time I’m about to leave the house, but sometimes it just pops into my head; probably 10 times a day.”

What started as a fun game has quickly become a loved tradition that returns yearly to bring the senior class together and build community. Hwang has seen firsthand all of the new connections form, and believes it is what makes the game special for seniors.

“I think up until the game, the senior class was a little more split, but now interactions happen between players that you’d never think you’d see before,” Hwang said.

Gyawali has also taken notice of the bonding that the game allows for the senior class, in addition to the similarities between being in STUCO and running the game. Senior Assassin is one of the last senior traditions of the year, and serves as a final event for Gyawali to plan as a Public Relations Co-Chair.

“I think it’s fun that we get to do this every year,” Gyawali said. “It’s special for seniors to do. It opens your horizons, because you get to see some people that you wouldn’t really see outside of school and where they get to go. For example, you see them at the gym, or their favorite coffee shop. It can be a bonding experience.” P

$1,200 the prize pool has increased to As of April 23 ... player count has decreased to 155 23 from since the game started March 28 and buy-in cost has increased to $30 from $5 for players who are eliminated.

WHAT’s your favorite moment from senior assassin So far?

”I slid up on the opps at the Brentwood track meet and got Lilly Doughty.”

JAMES SMITH (12)

“ “ “ “ “

”Tennyson’s kill with Joie was really funny. I also thought Sam’s kills were cool because he got so many people at the same time.”

Sahasra mandalapu (12)

”My favorite kill was Jamarr Henderson because it was really unexpected for him and I got really lucky.”

marisa schreiner (12)

”Andy was my first kill and his reaction was really funny.”

Si’niyah walker (12)

”I liked Tennyson’s because he said he camped outside of Sullivan’s house for an hour and a half.”

Glen WIDJAJA (12)

SENIOR FAVORITES

Panorama surveyed 203 students April 13

11th 12th

MUSICAL ARTIST

TV SHOW BREAKING BAD

FAST FOOD PLACE

CHIPOTLE

BOOK SERIES HARRY POTTER

SOCIAL MEDIA INSTAGRAM

PLACE TO TRAVEL EUROPE

CLOTHING BRAND

LULULEMON

ICE CREAM FLAVOR COOKIES & CREAM

COFFEE SHOP

7 BREW

Senior Columns

ILLUSTRATION BY FIONA VAN ALLEN art editor in chief

Aaron Lin MIT Associate Editor Mathematics with CS

How would I summarize my Pano experience? I don’t know. I’d probably go on a long tangent about the stories I wrote, the people I interviewed and the work nights I’ve survived. Or I might go on a different tangent about Frank’s countless rants about Chechnya and missiles (unrelated to each other), explaining to Amelie what hyperplanes

are in the secluded in-depth room and how I spent a whole evening touring chicken restaurants with Vincent.

But those tales of the past won’t fit in this column, so I’ll focus on what’s really stayed with me.

Pano is about as close to a family as you can get outside of home. You might suffer a little through the edits and the deadlines, but you also experience love and laughter from each memorable phrase on the quote board to the joyous feeling when your spread is finaled. You learn what it means to ignore your problems (hi web stories!) and the importance of communication (hi Frank!). You learn how it feels to put in the hard work and accomplish something meaningful. You experience the kindness of editors who helped you through each and every challenge, but also the joy when passing on that wisdom to younger staffers.

What’s so incredible about journalism itself is that it allows your voice to truly speak. I suppose by now, questionable book and movie reviews are my way of

voicing my thoughts to the rest of the world. However, what’s more powerful to me is that it gives you the opportunity to gaze into other peoples’ lives. In no other circumstance do I get the privilege and honor of learning and telling someone else’s story.

But most importantly, Pano is what it is because of the people. In (roughly) chronological order, I’d like to thank a few individuals: Ishaan, thank you for sticking with me through the first two years. Frank, you’re an absolute madman in the best way possible. Kelly, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten home after work night. Sara, you really, really kept A&E afloat. Isaac, please remind me to do my work (and thank you for forgiving me). Josie, no more grudges after elementary school, pretty please? Henry, honestly, just keep being yourself and don’t let the world stop you. And lastly, Ira, thank you for being a ray of sunshine to always look forward to.

To each and every person I’ve met on the way, just know that you have all made Pano a special place to be.

Adela Gingrich

Davidson College A&E Editor

Social Sciences

n elementary school I wrote short stories; in middle school I wrote poetry; in high school I wrote essays; and in room 1311 I wrote for the Panorama newsmagazine.

IFor as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a writer. I find that the people around me can only see so much of myself on the surface, but it’s always been my writing that has revealed

Mechanical Engineering

my true self so clearly. Despite this, I kept my writing hidden away, visible to no eyes except mine. Whether this was due to my shy personality or fear of judgement, I don’t know; but what I can say is that my perspective completely changed once I was introduced to journalism.

For the first time in my life, I was writing not just for myself, but for the people around me. Whether I was shedding light on unseen individuals and projects or giving helpful advice to those who may need direction, I took heart in getting to write for others. On paper day, I’d get giddy just to see and hold my words printed out in physical form for everyone in school to read. The sensation is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my entire life, consisting of a complex mix of the joy of writing, pride in a finished product and excitement for my next big idea. I owe it all to Panorama, which taught me that writing can be a gift when used correctly, and that the words and stories we share can bring people together to form a stron-

ger community. From now on, I write with a purpose, and it’s that very sense of purpose that motivates me to climb higher and higher in my writing journey.

I haven’t shared this with many people, but I want to write a book someday. Since I was little, it’s always been one of my dreams. I’ve got many great supporters in my life, but I can’t think of anyone more willing to support my ambitions than my Pano crew. I don’t believe I’ve met such a remarkable, diverse and lively group of people in my entire life, and that’s not the kind of statement I go throwing around so casually. There isn’t a day in fifth period where I’m not bursting with laughter, engaging in the most original (oftentimes diabolical) conversation and admiring my classmates from afar for their unique qualities. These people truly make me want to become a better version of myself each and every day.

To the underclassmen on Pano, I’d say we’re leaving it in good hands. And Josie, 6.7 million diddy bluds are still coming your way.

Annabelle Reagan

ID Content EIC

DePaul University

Criminology

t would be easy for me to count my time in Pano in class periods, but I don’t think that provides an accurate enough picture. I could count it in work nights attended, hours spent in 1311, number of backflips Vicky’s done, PDFs uploaded, comments left or pieces of celebratory cake, but I can’t fit all of the memories into those either.

II never thought I’d have a deep connection with pieces of paper. But here I am, feeling protective towards a magazine. People ask me “Why?” All they see is late nights or constant edits. What they don’t see is all that comes with it.

I joined Panorama excited to see my work published and to meet new people. What I didn’t know is the community I would join. 1311 welcomed me with open arms, and Pano easily became the class I looked forward to the most.

For every complaint that I may have, there is a game of Thursday fun, a stomach busting laugh with my classmates (especially Tiya), the pride after getting your joke put on the quote board and the excitement of seeing your hard work in your hands for the first time.

Pano has pushed me out of my comfort zone. It has inspired me to constantly work to learn more about the people and world around me. Through working on ID, I’ve gotten to write and edit stories about religion, culture, gender and anything else you can imagine.

Celina Zhou Stanford University Executive EIC

Symbolic Systems (Pre-Law)

Before I was a journalist, I was a poet. Before I was a poet, I was a big-mouthed kid who never quite learned how to shut up; prideful and thoughtful and relentless. It reflected in my work: I was unbearably pretentious and a selfish writer who wrote only for myself.

I’m arguably still unbearably pretentious, but if there’s one thing I’ve

learned from Pano, it’s that knowing others’ stories is an incredible privilege, a gift beyond words. Writing for the sake of others is one of the most freeing things I’ve ever done. So, here, I’ll do it for the people who taught me how.

Ms. Eisenberg, I’m realizing now how long four years is. Long enough for Eisen-boyfriend to become Eisen-fiancé, for me to relearn where your room is three first days of school in a row, for my homemade bangs to grow out 10 times over. I hope you’ll remember me, by my gifted plastic cloud watering your plants, by my bylines in old Panos or just by the absence of me, sitting on your floor and reading you poetry.

Mrs. Kirksey, sometimes I cringe to think about the states you’ve seen me in: torturing my InDesign until it dies, losing my mind over send-off, being unable to announce anything without repeating it and earning a teasing comment from you about “whispering into the void.” But if it had to be anyone, I’m glad it was you. Your love for Pano is so clear and has guided me so far.

The thing I’m most proud of is not the awards won, but the impact ID has made. ID is as unique as the people in it, and has changed my life. Seeing my staffers begin to understand why I’m so invested in this magazine through their firsthand experience is fulfilling. Passing down my passion is a legacy I hope to leave.

Thank you Kirksey and Eisenberg for providing a positive place that fostered friendship, creativity and innovation. I appreciate your integrity and passion for what you do. Thank you Vicky for sticking with me on work nights, letting me in the door, listening to my rants and always making me laugh, from J1 to senior year. Thank you Maya and Marie for working so diligently with me to make an incredible magazine. Lastly, thank you to all of my classmates who have made a lasting impact on me, teaching me what it means to be curious, hardworking and most importantly hilarious. I wouldn’t trade my time in 1311 for the world, not even one last piece of cake.

Josh, thanks for being my partner in crime. Ira, dear God, I would have gone insane without you and our delirious late-night calls. Fiona, whenever you miss class to be unbelievably amazing elsewhere, I miss your light every time. Isaac, I can’t put into words how excited I am to see how far you’ll go. Maya, here’s to our escape missions to Cube Tea; Madeline F, I’m so in debt to you for dealing with my deadlines, or lack of; Loukya, I couldn’t be leaving In-Depth and Pano in more talented hands; Katie J, thanks for catching my Oxford commas, even now. Ella Braig, I miss you and our stupid exchanges on the quote board endlessly; Katie M, I still have the dino plushie you gave me for Secret Santa; Sylvia, sitting on the ID couch feels weird now without you; Arti, sometimes I catch myself wishing you and all your steadfastness were still here.

It’s been an honor I can’t begin to describe to work with people who love this as much as I do. All of you have given me such a gift. I can only hope I’ve done enough to return the favor.

Cindy Liu

Washington University in St. Louis News EIC Educational Studies

Upon scanning the course registration form in eighth grade, my mom suggested an elective: Intro to Journalism. “You’ll like it, you love writing,” she had said. What she meant was that I had had a phase in second grade of writing terrible stories on my dad’s computer, but I signed up regardless because it was just for a year. That

Boston University Staff Psychology

Writing used to be something I did for school assignments. It was never something that others would read, aside from a teacher to grade my work or a classmate for a peer review session. It was simply a task of completing an assignment that would never be opened again. Panorama changed that for me. Instead of

mindset of “it’s just for a year,” turned into days of counting down the minutes in my geometry class until I could walk down to J1, where I’d review Girl Scout cookies, learn how to design and kill time by talking to my friends. By the end of the year, applying to join Pano was an easy decision.

What I would find throughout the next three years wouldn’t be an easygoing class of messing around, but rather a dedicated and hardworking group of editors and staff that were all eager to create something special every month, and were just as eager to show me how to do so. From the journeys of unsuccessfully selling ads three years in a row to spending way too much money at JEA, I’ve learned that when you’re in Pano, you’re in a family: a family that encourages you while pushing you to your limits, and always reminds you of the Oxford comma. I am forever indebted to room 1311, Kirksey, Eisenberg and the entire Pano staff, for igniting a passion I didn’t know I had. I am proud to now know way too much about news

editing and less proud to know way too little about the pen tool. Thank you to Madeline F., whom I share my life lessons with, but am also deeply inspired by. I’m honored to have shared the backlash of having the “worst takes” on our St. Louis Staples spread with you. Thank you to my dad, who was my first story editor and taught me the significance of using readable fonts. Lastly, a special thank you to my mom, who crafted the entirety of my high school activity list. You saw so much in everything, things I couldn’t imagine at 14, and I am so glad you did.

One final thing I’ve gained from Pano was the four numbers of the classroom: 1311. For some reason, I very quickly memorized that number freshman year, something I had failed to do for any of my other classes. This was likely due to the fact that I only ever needed to remember one thing for every classroom–the route. For J1 and Pano, however, I memorized the room, and the people who filled it. I am so glad to have spent my four years with all of you.

analyzing a book for English or writing a DBQ for history, I was asked to tell somebody else’s story and share it with others. My first story was an interview with an exchange student. As she told me about the culture in her home country, I realized that I was learning things I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Through the publication, she was able to share pieces of her home with other students.. Though I joined Pano in my senior year, the short time on staff gave me more than I could’ve expected in a single year. Throughout each cycle, I saw how hardworking the whole staff was to create a publication that people would care about and actually read. Everyone was always in the middle of something – whether it be aggressively editing a story, meticulously designing a spread to the pixel or chasing down a last minute interview. Seeing how much work went into every issue instead of just seeing the final result made me appreciate the Pano even more than I already did for all the unseen effort that goes into it. A finalized issue is

more than the writing. The coordination between writers, designers, photographers, editors and artists is essential for Panorama.

A moment I remember from this year was when I wrote a web review for a new cafe at the time. The owners somehow found my story and wrote a long, genuine comment of thanks. It was the first time I had written something that had reached someone completely outside of school or my social circle. The comment was a reminder that the work everyone does on Pano doesn’t disappear once it’s published. There are people on the other sides of the stories that read every word we write.

Although I’ll be leaving Pano, I’ll continue to carry what I learned from this class into my life beyond journalism. The hours of working through challenges has left a lasting impact on me and changed how I view the work that goes into creating something meaningful. Thank you Kirksey, Eisenberg and all the Pano staff for making this year on the publication something I’ll remember.

Eva VonAllmen

New York University Staff

Undecided

ne day, towards the end of my Sophomore year I was handed a pamphlet. My English teacher had recommended that I take Panorama. Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about writing in the magazine before. It sounded like a great publication, but the writing I liked to do was more fiction.

OI decided, however, if my teacher could see me doing it I might as well push myself to. I had a lot of fun in J1 my junior year, then this year I got to join the staff. Doing the yearbook in middle school prepared me a bit, but it was completely different joining this magazine.

Over this year I’ve explored page design, photography and current event writing, all which I’m grateful to have experience with. Though I’m not sure if these specific skills will be applicable in my future career, I think the teamwork aspect will aid me in many endeavors. I also love that I was able to sharpen my photography abilities and share my thoughts on current events through web stories.

Though frustrating or stressful at times I’m grateful for my time on Pano and for Ms. Eisenberg and Ms. Kirksey for being amazing teachers through it all.

UNC School of the Arts Art

In middle school, I was a pretty avid digital art hater. I thought tracing was a disgrace to art, and that Procreate was probably super easy. To me, art was a hobby. An outlet to vent all my teenage angst and confirm to myself that I was indeed talented. I didn’t know what RBG values were, let alone that someday I’d find myself as the Art Editor in Chief of

an accomplished student newsmagazine. And yet, here I am. And I sure traced a lot.

Four years ago, I wasn’t even comfortable referring to myself as an artist. I didn’t feel worthy of the weight the title carried. The hours of practice, the experience, the exposure, the skill. But on Pano, issue after issue, my name always appeared under “artists.” I saw how excited my peers got when my work was placed on a page, how much trust they had in me, my pencil and my ipad. So eventually, spending countless hours drawing each month was routine; one that has truly shaped my identity as a visual artist.

The fine arts have always consumed my life, and they always will. High school has affirmed the idea that art is what I live for, and Pano has taught me that my art can be impactful. I’m deeply grateful to be in a space where my skills and passions serve a group of such incredible people. And I’m eternally lucky that group was the one and only Panorama.

Frank Chen

University

of

-Madison Opinions Editor Public Policy & Biology

Wisconsin

On the last Tuesday of Oct. 2022, at 12:58 p.m. precisely, I stepped into Room 1311 for the first time in my life.

I remember the date because it was the first Tuesday after I’d moved to Ladue, my second day at the second new school I’d moved to in half a year. I remember the time because it was the last of my new classes, the last of

eight new rooms filled with kids who knew each other but not me.

I was very far from home. Ladue, to me, was a labyrinth of indistinguishably perfect streets and houses; the school was a sterile gauntlet of stark white corridors. I’d gotten lost the day before finding my way home from the bus stop – as lost as I’d been when I failed my first math quiz the hour prior.

Stepping into Room 1311, however, I could tell that it was different. Where other rooms were temples to math or reading or the powerhouse of the cell, journalism was about people. J1 – and later Pano – became my home at Ladue, and the people here were always what made it so. So this is for you.

I’d like to thank Aaron, who’s stuck with me through thin and thinner. From the Food Issue as a sophomore to this one last piece, he’s always believed in my ability to escape ridiculous time-crunches (most of which were self-imposed). That has been and is, I assure you, an incredible leap of faith.

I’d like to thank Ella Bender and

Grace Kweon, who’ve worked with me throughout the years to open our section to serious (and often bitter) issues. We’ve had our differences (have we ever agreed?), but what we built was for everyone, and I hope it survives.

I’d like to thank Nyla and Adela for always putting a smile on my face, for being the diabolical jokesters I needed when the path narrowed and the sky got dark. I’d like to thank Mrs. Kirksey and Ms. Eisenberg, moreover, for creating these wonderful opportunities.

Most importantly, however, I’d like to thank the people of the Ladue Panorama – the frantic, rowdy mess – for showing me that you never “find” a home. You build one.

I don’t know what I’ll be doing on the last Tuesday of this October. I might be taking a test. I might be in a lab. I might be sitting on a park bench, violently gnawing on a large wheel of cheese.

But no matter where I am (or what I’m doing), the people of the Ladue Panorama – and the lessons they taught me – will live with me forever.

Today, as I am writing this, I’ve turned 18. Eighteen years of living from a tiny infant baby to now, as a fully fledged adult. That, on its own, sounds so weird. Because for as long as I’ve been consciously living, I have been a teenager. Living in a home that is soon to be sold, going to college in a room no longer mine.

So for the first half of my birthday, I spent the whole time sleeping. Ironic, because I feel like half of my life has been spent hustling to chase every star that passed me. That’s led to my bad habit of pulling all-nighters to finish assignments instead of managing my time, which if you’re reading this, I would highly recommend not doing.

For the second half, I spent reflecting. Still having to study for the tests at the end of the week, but nonetheless thinking about life as it has become and what to wish for my 18th candle. Because life, as it is, has been a whirlwind. Countless days of waiting for time to pass juxtaposing countless hours waiting for time to stretch on.

That’s why I’m grateful. Grateful for Panorama, the community here and the copy team for being my partners in crime. Grateful for my teachers, my advisors and everyone who made me the way I am. Grateful for all the lessons I’ve learned and taken to heart, and for the person I am now. Regardless of everything else, at least I’m here; here

to witness the rest of humanity and its accomplishments, here to enjoy everything our planet and nation has to offer.

Reaching the end of high school feels surreal because there have been countless times I wanted to give up. Senioritis is wretched, contagious and there have been many times where stress has gotten the better of me. But despite life’s hardships, I’m really, really glad I made it. There’s nothing better than reaching the end of the finish line you’ve longed to end up at.

So if there is anything I would tell the tiny infant baby me, it would be to join this amazing newspaper club where I’ve found such community and fulfillment participating in. And that when looking at the bigger picture, I’m moving out, spending time on my own terms and having fun with friends that have my back. Although an infant, albeit an hyperbolic symbol, might not be able to understand this much, the same words could be understood in an instant with time. That’s the beauty of it, and what has come to pass.

Ira Rodrigues

Washington University in St. Louis Copy EIC

Biology (Pre-Med)

’ve never been good at goodbyes.

II think that’s why I was so scared to join Pano at first. I knew there was so much to love.

I remember my first day: a whirlwind of noise and excitement, making friendship bracelets for people I didn’t even know yet, wondering if I even had the courage to be part of it. What was I going to do when it came to the end?

Josh Devine Duke University Executive EIC Public Health

n the spring of 2022, I faced a dilemma: take Journalism 1, or follow the Project Lead the Way Science courses. I was stumped. I had a strong interest in science classes, but something was pulling me towards Ladue Publications. I am so glad that I followed that pull.

Well, three years later, and now I’m here standing on the precipice of the end, not really knowing what’s ahead, but knowing I have to go. And it’s scary, but not in the same way as sophomore me imagined it. Now, I have all these memories to keep.

I’ll remember my first day as a copy editor-in-chief, looking out to all those faces and knowing that they might be strangers, but in less than a month, I’d know all of their names by heart.

Or all those hours spent at the copy roundtable: frantically googling AP style, developing a crippling addiction to em dashes and trying to look like I had it together when I never really did.

How could I forget that JEA trip that was too short and yet so, so sacred? Candy cigarettes, a 4 a.m. debrief I still hold close, an award ceremony where I screamed myself hoarse and still thought was worth it. (It was).

Or every worknight and all the chaos we got up to: boba runs, off-key karaoke, dying on the worphan hill and editing, editing, editing until I can practically

remember every PDF in my sleep. (No, Pano’s not a cult, I swear).

Perhaps most precious are my memories of the people. To the seniors: I still flash back to when we were sophomores in our very first story pitch. How did we get here, all grown up and watching the underclassmen do it without us? Pano wouldn’t be the same without you, my ride or dies, my best friends. To the sweetest advisers, Kirksey and Eisenberg: thank you for being my mentors. To my underclassmen: you all shine so brightly. I can’t wait to see what you do.

After all this time, I still haven’t figured out the perfect ending. And maybe sophomore year Ira was right to be afraid, because it’s breaking my heart to say goodbye. But I know what I’m taking with me: three years of memories, friendships and a family and community that I could never find anywhere else. And that is something worth missing.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Pano. It hurts to leave, but that’s okay you all have always been worth it.

IFrom the moment I stepped into J1 I knew that I had made the right choice.

It immediately became the class that I waited for each day. We made strong friendships and laughed way too loudly (sorry Mrs. Peters), showing me early the amazing things that could happen in room 1311. I couldn’t wait for the next three years on the Panorama staff. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was what Panorama would open up for me, a world of adventure and creativity. I am endlessly indebted to Ladue Publications for giving me some of the best friends and experiences of high school. Whether in Boston, Philadelphia or Seattle, JEA conferences were some of the highlights of my year, getting to explore new places with the best journalists and friends. Ladue Publications gave me the opportunity to grow as a person, from a slightly obnoxious, scared first year staffer to a confident leader. As one of the Executive EIC’s this year, I’ve gotten the grand privilege of seeing the labor of love behind every issue that comes out of 1311, and the community that was built upon every last minute edit and PDF.

Mrs. Kirksey, I want to thank you for having faith in me, and helping me grow into the person I am today over these past four years. Your lessons and friendships mean so much to me, and I hope our paths continue to cross at Companion for years to come. Ms. Eisenberg, I will miss your comforting presence and your uncanny ability to find the bright side in any situation. Madeline and Mason, thank you for always being along for the ride, and making Panorama a class to look forward to, even in the most stressful productions. I will always miss our Companion runs and lunches. Celina, thank you for being by my side this year as a legendary Co-EIC. While I didn’t end up taking the science pathway, Ladue Publications has taught me one of the biggest lessons about life yet. That you can’t get anywhere in this world without a strong, loving community of friends by your side, and that a mix of hard work, chaos and laughter builds memories that will follow you forever. Thank you Ladue Publications.

Katie Jansen

Colorado State University Copy EIC

Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I never truly had a group to call my own. I wasn’t in many clubs, I was never very outgoing and most of my time was spent reading a book or with my horse. Room 1311 changed this for me. From my first time entering my Journalism I class to my last Panorama cycle, the friends I have made here have

Madeline Awad Brown University Managing EIC Biochemistry (Pre-Med)

The only reason I joined Pano was so Mason wouldn’t have to sit in a classroom alone. Journalism was perfect: an easy guarantee that we would be together for at least one class every year. But in a classic display of irony, out of only two Intro to Journalism sections available, we were placed in separate ones. At the time, it felt like the end of

brought so much joy to my life. Whether it’s the small group of girls in J1 or the nearly 50 people in Panorama, I know I can count on each and every person to have my back when I need them.

During my time as a staffer to being a copy editor-in-chief, every person on Pano has been welcoming and helpful. Every unknown face has turned into a familiar friend. When I entered 1311, I never thought I would be able to name over 50 people and a random fact about them, but as I near the end of my time on Pano, I would like to think I have formed some kind of connection with every staffer. Even though I often scared them or said a joke that didn’t hit quite right, I hope each staffer has left this room feeling supported and confident in their writing.

What was once a free period for gossip and laughing has transformed into a positive light for me, something I look forward to every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Production nights were originally a burden to work around, but are now my favorite nights

of the month. Despite the countless failed pizza orders and lost fruit by the foot competitions, I can confidently say I have enjoyed every moment of this journey. Maybe not the midnight edits or missing stories, but every other moment was filled with joy.

So I have to say thank you to everyone that Panorama has brought into my life. Thank you Ira and Grace for being the best co-copy EICs a girl could ask for; thank you Celina for putting up with my indesign incompetency; thank you Gabby for the constant entertainment and validating my crashouts; thank you Tiya for humbling me; thank you Josie for being my fellow horse girl; and thank you to every member of Ladue Publications for making my life so bright.

As I move on from my time in high school and enter college, I will carry these memories with me. Not only has this room shaped who I am, but it has brought me some of the kindest and most talented people I will ever meet. So as I leave, I want to give you some advice: cut the comma and fill 2/3.

the world; looking back, it was the best mistake the office could’ve made.

That separation forced me out of my bubble and into a world of InDesign lessons and a group of people who quickly became the center of my high school experience.

They always say the people make the place, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting version of that than our staff. Mason: my partner in crime, you’ve shown me that everything can become an adventure if you’re doing it with the right person. Josh: nothing will ever truly top our legendary infographics or Companion runs, and working alongside you has been a true honor. Ms. Eisenberg: I never would’ve guessed that you’d become my sounding board, helping me navigate through ten different versions of my college essay. Thank you for your patience. Ms. Kirksey: Thank you for letting us be visionaries first and students second. You’ve let us grow as leaders in ways that don’t happen in a normal classroom, and I love that you never think an idea is too crazy to just

try. To my amazing Pano staff: I’m so grateful to have worked with each and every one of you and I can’t thank you enough for trusting me and making the work worth doing.

As the “lasts” of senior year start piling up, I’ve been thinking more about the “firsts.” Seeing an interviewee light up for the first time about their passion, or watching a staffer get genuinely hyped during a story pitch, has become such a privilege. I’ve gone from a freshman who barely looked up from her notebook during an interview to a senior who relishes invitations into the special moments of people’s lives, documenting both the grit and the glamour. Journalism gave me the gift of seeing our community far beyond the surface level. Thank you, Pano, for giving me a new appreciation for what it means to be curious. I’ve learned that you can’t really understand someone until you stop seeing them as a “subject” and start seeing them as a person. Everyone has a story, and I’m just grateful I got to tell a few of them.

Marie Demkovitch

Georgia Institute of Technology ID Managing EIC Industrial Engineering

Ihave never liked writing. So, admittedly, it was a little strange for me to join the school newspaper.

To be honest, I don’t remember what prompted me to join a class that I knew consisted of a skill I disliked. But I am grateful for my eighth grade self for writing “Journalism I” on my schedule. Pano proved to be something I needed; it was an outlet to give purpose

Mason Eastman

Arizona State University Sports EIC Biology

For three years now, my life at school has been strongly dictated by the constant and ever changing pulse of Panorama deadlines. My calendar is a graveyard of ‘Story pitch due Monday’ and ‘Mockups in by Thursday’ reminders. Looking at that list today, there is only one left: ‘Senior Column due Monday.’ For the first time since joining Pano, the

to my writing, something I thought it would never have. I had never before written something that I was passionate about, but Pano let me do that. The satisfaction I felt from someone reading my writing not to grade it, but to just enjoy it, made me fall in love with Pano and everything that came with it. I still remember when the first page I worked on in the September Issue of 2023, and how excited I got on paper day when all of my friends got to see it. Since then, I felt much better about writing. And every paper day after that, I was proud to show my work to everyone around me.

I can now confidently say that Pano was never a class that I wanted to skip, even though the rest of my classes were hardly somewhere I wanted to be most of the time. I found community in room 1311 for the past three years, and I found peace in the calm atmosphere of the ID room this year, especially on the comfy (especially comfy on the left side) couch. The memories I made at JEA conventions were some

of the most fun times I’ve had to date. Coffee runs, scavenger hunts and excruciatingly long award ceremonies were some of the most enjoyable experiences of my time in high school. I am so grateful to have had the opportunities to participate in so much through Pano, and I wouldn’t change it if I went back to middle school and could rewrite my schedule.

I want to thank Mrs. Kirksey and Ms. Eisenberg, with whom the past three and four years were made unforgettable. From reading affirmations in Eisenberg’s only J1 class freshman year to finding my ornament at each holiday celebration, it was obvious that Pano would not be as special without them. And most importantly, I want to thank everyone on Pano who made it a constant in my life, no matter what I was going through. While we all may follow different paths as life goes on, I won’t forget the late work nights, Thursday funs and celebrations that we had together as Ladue Media.

Signing off, Marie Demkovitch.

scrabble for interviews and last-minute shifting of pica boxes are none of my worries, but instead what I am going to do once my time here is finished.

If I had to pick the one thing I admire most about the Panorama staff, it would be their unwavering dedication to the class. I’ve watched my classmates debate a 5% tint change, stay hours after school to perfect a lede, and set literal fires for a cover shoot. I can’t quite pin down what draws such determined, creative and outgoing individuals to this room, but it has been an honor to work alongside each and everyone one of them.

The best part about our class, however, is that the intensity is met with an equal level of joy. Even during the peak stress of production weeks, there is always time for Thursday Fun or an addition to the quote board. I am almost positive that for those of you who haven’t had the privilege of visiting room 1311, you’ve certainly heard it. The constant echo of laughter, Frank’s slightly obnoxious clap after an editorial

reading and a speaker that is almost always claimed by a student’s playlist are all the signs of a good Pano class. Thank you Mrs. Kirksey for the kindness and support you’ve shown me. I hope you realize it’s no coincidence that students choose to spend their free periods and lunches in your room, or that they’re so eager to share the details of their lives with you. You’ve turned Pano into so much more than just a class. Thank you, Ms. Eisenberg, for always seeing the positive in every situation. I knew that after a long class or draining production, you would be there cheering everyone on. Thank you Madeline and Josh for making Pano something I look forward to every week. I will miss our weekend debriefs, laughing until our stomachs hurt, Pano pictures anytime we see each other outside of class and of course, Companion lunches.

Thank you Pano for teaching me to share the stories of others, never take things too seriously, make friends wherever you can and appreciate every moment.

Maya Mathew

Washington University in St. Louis ID Design EIC Public Health

enrolled in Introduction to Journalism expecting to grow as a writer, but I never expected to walk out of the class confident enough to write ‘proficient in InDesign’ on my resume. Before I joined Pano, my experience in graphic design was limited to Canva flyers and presentations. Now, I notice fonts on billboards and analyze the layout of every magazine I read.

INora Brunnquell

Kansas City Art Institute Artist Fine Arts

When I reflect on my time in Ladue Media, I think about the memories I made between deadlines. JEA trips with frantic photo scavenger hunts, late-night conversations, scenic walks through city streets and awards ceremonies that felt years long. Work nights with Cube Tea runs and random conversations to procrastinate doing any actual work. To me, those moments were just as valuable as any of the pages we published.

More than the memories I made, working on ID has shaped me as a person more than any other class I’ve taken. I still remember the overwhelming weight of being asked to create my own style guide and covers for ID, something I couldn’t have imagined doing as a freshman. But looking back, my work serves as a reminder of what I’m capable of and reassurance to continue pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

After working on ID for two years, I’ve seen how much the publication has grown and changed, and how it continues to represent the unique identities in our school through the diverse per-

spectives of every student we’ve featured. Seeing ID transform from PDFs into something students can actually hold and read has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my high school career. Every time I flip through the magazine, I’m reminded that the late nights of perfecting layouts and making edits were worth it.

I want to thank Kirksey and Eisenberg for making 1311 a safe space for growth and creativity. You taught me how to lead with purpose and dedication. Thank you Annabelle and Marie for working by my side to make every issue our best one yet. I couldn’t have navigated the complexities of ID without you. To my classmates who have been in Pano with me since freshman year, thank you for the constant support and advice. From our assignments in J1 to our Thursday funs, banquets and cookie cake celebrations in Pano, I’m leaving 1311 with memories I’ll never forget. My high school experience would be entirely incomplete without Ladue Media and all of you.

University at Albany Biology

n early August of 2022, I sat in the counseling office picking out my classes for my rapidly approaching freshman year. My mom had suggested taking Journalism, and it felt like the perfect fit. Unfortunately, because I had just transferred to Ladue and my schedule was being made so late, it didn’t work out. Still, I kept Journalism in the back of my mind, and

IVincent Hsiao

as soon as course selections came out for the following year, it was the first class I wrote down.

You may have heard me say “I’m on Pano to write, not design” while frantically rearranging an entire spread during production week crashouts. And while I’m definitely more of a writer, Pano has truly taught me to do both. This class has pushed me to problem-solve, manage my time and stick with things even when they’re difficult. Even though design may never be my strength, I’m glad I was pushed out of my comfort zone and learned to persevere.

I have always loved writing, especially about the things I am most passionate about. As a staffer my junior year, I basically lived in the Health and Sports section. While on web, I wrote sports previews and recaps. During the specialty Nature issue, I wrote a feature story on a rock-climber. And even while on ID, I wrote about sports again, featuring a Jewish-American lacrosse player who played for Israel’s national team. So, naturally, when editor applications rolled

around, I applied for one role and one role only: Health and Sports editor.

Serving in this role has been one of the most meaningful parts of my high school experience. I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve contributed, despite my limited InDesign skills. I have loved sharing my passion for both sports and journalism, telling people’s stories and seeing them light up when they read it. To my co-editor Meg, I will miss our unassigned assigned seats and procrastinating until the last possible moment to take photo poll pictures. Thanks for always making class so fun.

Even though my entrance to Pano was delayed, I’m forever grateful I found my way. I’ll never forget the memories in Room 1311, from my extremely chaotic J1 class to making 700 edits on version 57 of my PDF. Thank you Annabelle for always being by my side and constantly making me laugh. Thank you to Mrs. Kirksey and Ms. Eisenberg for constant support and creating this environment that perfectly blends hard work and fun. Thank you Panorama for everything.

When I walked into 1311 our freshman year, all I wanted to do was take photos for the yearbook. I still hold onto the memory of me telling Mrs. Kirksey about my two entry-level Nikons and how I was eager to cover the big school events just like the pros. It was quite the halcyon days long before the academic rigor, long before we all had to start thinking hard about what we wanted to do after high school.

University of Missouri

Photo EIC Journalism

Yet, from its innocent inception in sixth grade, I have carried the idea of being a photojournalist to today, ready to start anew at the world’s first journalism

school. I undoubtedly saw it through. To quote Sinatra, “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.” In hindsight, there were just as many pitfalls I experienced as there were accolades. Success is rarely free. Often, I have to remind myself to keep my chin up; to remember not just the awards, but all the valuable human connections I’ve made in this building and as far as Boston and Seattle. That’s the true meaning of this line of work. To all those who’ve been in front of my lens, thank you. Without you, there would be nothing to document this brief frame in an eternal film.

Senior awards!

A+ Graduates

Brody Anderson

Jack Anderson

Eric Berry

Dorian Bunic

Gabriella Dixon

Quran Frazier

Shayonia Headd

Grace Pinex

Kin Yang

Bill Brackman

Distinguished Service Band Award

Miles Grossman

Charles M. Shepherd Foundation Scholarships

Colette Brennan

Jasmine Perkins

Connie Strobach Outstanding

Female Athlete Award

Sabra Fink

Dads Club

Scholarship

Audrey Stockwell

Deb Cady

Scholarship

Aalaa Mahmoud

DECA Scholarship

Audrey Stockwell

Madison Stockwell

El Premio de

Excelencia en la Lengua del Espanol

Andy Schulte

Elzemeyer School

Spirit Scholarship

Ari Litt

Dylan Scissors

Faculty, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service Award

Madeline Summers

Frances H. Ginsberg

Memorial Vocal Music Scholarship

Norah Murphy

George M. Turmail Band Award

Norah Murphy

George Washington Carver Award

Pranay Reddy

Anugu

Clara Carpenter

Angela Chen

Keegan Cody

Marie Demkovitch

Josh Devine

Gabe Fields

Joan Gaffigan

Claudia Gettins

Noah Gindelberger

Gavin Hofer

Trip Hoffman

Michelle Jing

Max Karsh

Eva Kaul

Cooper Keys

Kimmi Lin

Aalaa Mahmoud

Sahasra Mandalapu

Maya Mathew

Urmil Patel

Nicholas Pearlstone

Isabella Plumb

Aiden Qian

Annabelle Reagan

Ira Rodrigues

Molly Salvatori

Andrew Schulte

Jack Sehy

Jason Shi

Jenna Song

Audrey Stockwell

Madison Stockwell

Madeline Summers

Laszlo Szilagyi

Ivana Todorova

Braden Walters

Alex Wang

Maddox Wolf

Luke Ye

William Yin

Selina Yonas

David Zhang

Anthony Zhao

Celina Zhou

Rex Zhu

Goessl Book Award

Trip Hoffman

Hank Kauffman

Math Award

Aaron Lin

Howard Tash

School Service

Scholarship

Madison Stockwell

Iris Markman

Fine Arts Award

Joan Gaffigan

Fiona Van Allen

James A.

Wagner/St. Louis

Post Disptach

Scholar Athlete

Madeline Summers

James R. Waechter Band Award

Jin Zhang

Jeff Lieberman

Scholarship

Rex Zhu

Joseph Adams

Senior Scholarship

Aalaa Mahmoud

Kurt H.

Knoedelseder

Theatre Scholarship Award

Trip Hoffman

Ladue Horton

Watkins

High School Scholarships

Ib Barry

Essey Belay

Addyson Butler

Kira Cornell

Campbell Cross

Khamari Davis

Rylie Dolan

Alyssa Eye

Devin Freeman

Joshua Gu

Trip Hoffman

Max Karsh

Urmil Patel

Grace Pinex

Davi Pontes

Annabelle Reagan

David Smith

Xavier Stockmann

Lauren Straughter

Ivana Todorova

Han Tran

Ladue Strolling

Strings Award

Eric Mao

Ladue Educators’ Association

Scholarship

Sabra Fink

Leads Scholarship

Shayonia Headd

Han Tran

LHS-TV & Films

Hall of Fame

Campbell Cross

Gavin Hofer

Ari Litt

Luke Reiser

Dylan Scissors

Lois Percival

Orchestra Award

Jason Shi

Michael A. Ramming Dads

Club Scholarship

Anthony Zhao

MSHSAA Sportsmanship Award

Andy Schulte

Madison Stockwell

National Merit

Finalists

Sanjay Adireddi

Frank Chen

Aronno Dutta

Miles Grossman

Gavin Hofer

Max Karsh

Eva Kaul

Aaron Lin

Abhiram Madala

Aalaa Mahmoud

Urmil Patel

Isabella Plumb

Owen Prange

Aiden Qian

Ira Rodrigues

Jason Shi

Luke Ye

William Yin

Anthony Zhao

Celina Zhou

Rex Zhu

Paganini Award

Hayden Baker

Patricia Sanders

Scholarship

Amelia Drake

Premio de

Honor: Sociedad

Honoraria

Hispánica

Mina Farrow Prater

Recognition of Students

Enlisting in the Armed Forces

Penelope Cross

Aniyah Shaw

Marcos Moran

Echevarria

Lakell Benford

Robert N. Soper Foundation

Scholarship

Jack Hensley

Science Olympiad

Scholarship

Max Karsh

Sneider-Kaskowitz Expository

Writing Award

Joan Gaffigan

Speech and Debate Student of the Year

Urmil Patel

The Early College Program

Jasmyn Spann

Aribella Stephens

Maddy Ta

The Visual Arts Award

Ella Lin

Tony Kardis Senior Science Award

Sanvi Prasad

William Heyde

Great American

Debater Award

David Smith

William Raisch

Dads Club

Scholarship

Josh Devine

...and the seniors got a gold star for graduation!